


Road Full of Promise

by MayQueen517



Series: Pacific Rim scraps [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: AU, Gen, Pacific Rim: Uprising did not happen, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, hashtag denial, oc-palooza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 07:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14255859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayQueen517/pseuds/MayQueen517
Summary: He thinks about the Shatterdome and the strangled relief of seeing one of those massive Jaegers in the ocean, protecting the city. He remembers Brawler Yukon being deployed, protecting Vancouver as much as it could. He remembers the awe-inspiring, humbling feeling of knowing that there was something to turn the tide.





	Road Full of Promise

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a wildly AU fic about the father and son who are on the beach at the beginning of Pacific Rim, basically, and how finding Raleigh Becket on the beach impacts them. Kind of. It went a little wobbly there in the middle.
> 
> Features a few cameos, so enjoy!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Title from The Avett Brothers song, _Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise_.

_February, 2020_

He promises Tom that they'll go walking along the coastline and that they'll look for whatever they can find. This week, Tom wants to be a treasure hunter, something Craig blames on the boy seeing Indiana Jones for the first time at his mother's. Not that it's a bad thing, Craig muses, pressing buttons blindly on the coffee-maker in the pre-dawn light.

The sky is a bleak grey, almost white already, hovering above the ocean uncertainly. The seas are quiet this morning, but he can see the swells starting to build. Craig, feeling far older than forty-nine (and god, fifty is getting entirely too close for comfort) walks across the room to turn the TV on, poking his head into Tom's room for a moment. Sprawled across the bed, Craig can hear the soft snores and he shakes his head fondly.

"And this morning, Channel 44 News would like to extend our gratitude and sorrow to the Becket family of Anchorage. This morning, around two am, Alaska's Jaeger, Lady Danger, engaged a Kaiju off the Alaskan coast and we are saddened to report the loss of Yancy Becket. No word, yet, on Raleigh Becket's condition."

Craig stares at the TV, processing the words as the news anchors (far too cheerful this early in the morning) go on to discussing whatever else has gone on. He turns the TV off and shoves his hands through his hair hard, pulling on it as he looks out the window. 

The ocean is starting to grow rough, waves battering against the rickety wooden piers and for a moment Craig imagines that he can see the glint of Kaiju Blue across the water.

Beeping fills the small house, the scent of coffee that was once so appealing now turns his stomach. He hears the tell-tale thump of Tom's feet hitting the floor and the half-awake shuffle as he walks into the kitchen.

"Hey, kiddo," Craig says, seeing Tom blink blearily at him. Nine and Craig wonders if he ever remembers a time without Kaiju and Jaegers just off the coast over on Kodiak.

Tom grumbles, putting his forehead onto his folded arms as Craig laughs quietly, passing a hand over his hair and resisting the urge to pull the boy close and hug him. 

Instead, he sets out cereal and juice for breakfast, ignoring the voice that tells him to stay at home and that they can walk the beach another morning. 

===

' _Be careful what you wish for,_ ' is the first thing he thinks after watching a Jaeger (not just _a_ Jaeger, but _Alaska's_ Jaeger) fall to the sand. Tom scrambles to his feet, sand and snow all over him as Craig groans, pulling himself up. His mittens dangle in the air as his hands shake. The metal detector's beeping halts suddenly as he switches it off, running over.

He tells Tom to stay back, seeing the shock on the boys face and idly, he thinks that Mel is never going to forgive him.

He sees the man - Raleigh Becket, he thinks dimly - stumble forward and Craig can't stop himself from talking to him.

"Sir, are you okay? Can you talk to me?"

"Yancy. Yancy?" 

Raleigh Becket, in a bloody, melted drive suit collapses at Craig's feet, pupils blown and shivering. Craig tells Tom to run for help as he kneels down.

"Mr. Becket? Mr. Becket, can you hear me?" he says, desperate for an answer, but unsure as to what he would do even if he got one. Craig has no idea what to do, if there's even anything he can do. All he can see is a blank stare and the shivering that starts and dimly, Craig is aware that in front of him, Raleigh Becket is going into shock.

The smoking, hulking wreckage of Lady Danger blocks the worst of the wind with one massive shoulder and Craig looks up the beach to where a speck that he knows is Tom is slowly running back. Shaking his head, Craig pulls his outer jacket off, draping it over Raleigh. 

He shudders and lets out a broken sound, something that sounds halfway like a sob and like his brother's name. 

Tom runs up, gasping for air noisily as Craig tries to figure out if he should remove the shattered helmet. He remembers a 20/20 special on the Beckets, both boys showing off their drive suits at the Shatterdome, proudly talking over one another about responsibility. He hears Tom, still breathing hard take a few steps over. 

"Dad, what happened?" he asks, wide eyes meeting Craig's. Sighing, he pulls Tom over to him, sitting with Raleigh as they wait for first responders and whoever else Tom managed to get.

"Later, Tom. Kiddo, you got two coats on, right?" Craig asks as Tom blinks, nodding slowly.

"Give me the outer one. He's in shock and we have to keep him warm, okay?" Craig says, hoping that he doesn't sound as bewildered as he actually is. Raleigh mumbles something and Craig can see when the hitched breaths start to become sobs. Tom scoots up, looking over his face.

"Mr. Becket? It's okay, you're safe now. Dad's gonna make sure you stay warm and I called the cops," Tom says as Craig stares. Tom keeps talking, softly and carefully, eyes wide and face pale in the cold wind. He pulls his jacket off and Craig watches as he gently drapes it around the ruined drivesuit arm.

"Keep talking to him, Tommy; keep him focused on you," Craig says, gently reaching for the presumably uninjured arm to tuck it under the coat. It might not be doing much but Craig can't stop himself. He can see and hear the helicopters starting as sirens start to come closer.

Craig stands, leaving Tom to keep talking to Raleigh as the helicopters circle overhead, one landing in the scrub. Medical officers, bearing the PPDC insignia, swarm over Raleigh's shivering form. Craig walks over to Tom, pulling him close as an officer hands them both a shock blanket, wrapping it around them.

They answer some questions, Tom staring after Raleigh as they load him into the helicopter, the edge of Craig's jacket still pulled up to his neck. 

Tom leans back into Craig's front, wrapping the shock blankets around them tighter as the helicopter takes off, disturbing sand and snow. Tom looks up at Craig, worry written over his face.

"Is he gonna be okay, Dad?"

"God, I hope so, kiddo," Craig says, turning to look at the Jaeger behind him. People are coming up, taking pictures and he wraps his arms around Tom, holding onto him as more people start to pull up.

Craig presses a kiss to Tom's head, blocked by the hat but for now, it'll have to do.

===

"Jesus Christ," Herc says through the tinny speakers as Stacker sighs heavily. He can still hear the broken sobs that had started before the medics were able to sedate Raleigh. His own heart is heavy and when he looks to the video window to see Herc's own stricken face, he feels slightly reassured.

"No word yet on the impact it'll have on him," Stacker says, pulling his tie loose, leaning back in his chair.

"You know that better than anyone," Herc says neutrally as Stacker shakes his head.

"Tamsin didn't die while hooked into my brain. I let the medical team scan his brain while he's sedated because we need to know but," Stacker pauses, "I don't know what to do for him when he wakes."

"Whatever he needs, Stacks," Herc says confidently and Stacker thinks back to Herc's own disasterous Drift. He thinks about Herc begging for some kind of contact during the worst of the Ghosting and how Stacker pulled him into his own bed. He wonders what Raleigh will do and thinks about Tamsin in Hawaii, crying on their last video chat as they talked about Mako and the future. 

"Tendo says he'll bolt."

"Nah, I don't think so," Herc says as Stacker shakes his head, falling into silence as Herc updates him about the Sydney Shatterdome.

(It turns out that Tendo is right.)  
===  
Most days, Craig works from home. He teaches online classes, as much as one can teach an online class these days. He fields questions day in and day out from the students in his Sociology class and the ones in his more advanced classes send him essays.

It's a perfectly easy, silent way to pass the time.

It's also the best way to not have to commute and have less time for Tom.

One week after Raleigh Becket pilots Alaska's Jaeger to shore by himself (by himself, Craig thinks idly), Craig posts a new topic for discussion. He asks his students to tell him what the Jaeger program means for them and for their towns, wherever they might be. He tells of his own experiences and when finished, turns the computer off.

He grabs his keys and coat, ready to make the drive into town. Groceries, despite his best efforts, are still something precious and he makes sure that his ration cards are up to date. He has a small, sad greenhouse in the side room that grows a few paltry vegetables, but they're better than the canned stuff that's available.

Craig does his shopping (for certain values of the word 'shopping') and runs into Mark, his oldest friend, as he's staring at the cheery, bright sign advertising a town-wide memorial service for Yancy Becket. Nearly every storefront in town has something about Yancy Becket in their window. He doesn't see much about Raleigh Becket and Craig spares a thought for the young man who lay on a beach, gasping out his brother's name with tears streaming down his face. A week has gone by and the town seems to forget that Raleigh Becket lost a brother first and foremost.

"How's Tom doing?" Mark says, standing beside him, looking over the tasteless and tacky font. Craig sighs, turning away from the sign.

"Mel said he's talking about it. Has nightmares, but I'd be surprised if he didn't," Craig says, watching Mark nod. They stare at the sign for a moment before Craig scoffs in the back of his throat, taking his cart to the checkout and handing over his ration booklet.

"Whoever did that needs to be talked to."

"It's a memorial service, Craig. They've got a right to mourn the boy."

"Not saying they don't. I'm just saying, they were local boys, but there were two of them," Craig says as Mark shrugs.

"You don't have to tell me that. Hell, Craig, it's easier for the town to mourn the dead first."

"You know how this town is. They'll mourn the dead and blame the living," Craig asks as they share a disgusted expression. Mark shakes his head, picking up his own bags as Craig does the same. They walk through the doors together as Mark pulls his hat on over graying hair.

"Beers on Friday?" he asks, hat jammed onto his head haphazardly, Craig calling out an affirmative as they part ways. Their friendship is easy and casual and it leaves a smile on Craig's face. The walk to his car is short, but the wind is colder than before and Craig knows, without a doubt, that there'll be a fresh coat of snow on the ground in the morning. He's unlocking the door when he notices the flier on the windshield.

It's a vibrant blue photocopy of messy handwriting, _Memorial service for those lost in the Knifehead attack_ , it proclaims. He looks up and sees a blonde woman in the process of putting another flier under a windshield wiper. 

She meets his eyes from below a ratty blue knit hat as he holds it up and nods. She gives him a half-smile before continuing on her way down the line of cars. Shaking his head, Craig climbs into his truck, turning the key as he pockets the flier.

===

Later, he's contacted by a young woman who works with the Shatterdome in Alaska, asking if she can come speak to him and his son. 

When Craig meets Vanessa Gottlieb, he's dumb-founded first by her prosthetic arm and second by the sweet and generous way she talks to Tom. 

Craig idly wonders if he's going to start collecting Shatterdome staff who were close to the Beckets. She interviews Tom with easy practice, smiling and joking with him and she gives him a small bag of goodies from the Shatterdome. There's some plastic wings like they would give out on an airplane when Craig was a kid, but these have been fashioned to look like Lady Danger's logo. Tom's eyes light up and Craig can't bring himself to be too cynical about it. 

It's when Tom's ran outside that Vanessa turns to him, a warm smile on her face. It clicks for him, abruptly, after she mentions her husband Hermann just who she is. The face of the PPDC recruitment drive sits in his living room, drinking shitty coffee out of a chipped mug and Craig feels something like panic. 

"What's this really about?" he asks baldly, making Vanessa huff out a laugh. 

"We needed a report about what happened that morning. Since I was here in Anchorage with my husband and I've got some time, I thought I'd come out to help finish up our after-action report," she says, leaning back in her chair with her mug cradled between her thigh and the chair. 

"How's Becket?" he asks, settling into his own chair. Vanessa's face turns down and he feels a sinking in his stomach that has nothing to do with too much coffee on an empty stomach.

"In the wind, as far as the Marshall can tell," she says softly, almost sympathetically, "his sister says she's not seen him and since she's a local, I would assume he's hiding out."

"Jesus," Craig says, "I see her in town. She hosted a memorial for the lost after Knifehead."

"Jaz is a handful from what Yancy used to tell me," Vanessa says, grinning suddenly. It's bright and Craig feels affection for this community that lead to the Shatterdome being a central point for Alaska.

"Tell me more," Craig says, settling in, resolving to say hi to Jaz Becket if he sees her again in town.  
===  
 _May, 2020_

It doesn't start at first. At first, it's all still ticker tape parades, specials on the new pilots, and recruitment drives. But it slowly starts, a trickle to a stream of programs about the cons of the program. And when it starts it's like the failing of a dam. The backlash against the Jaeger program pisses Craig off. More importantly, it pisses Tom off. Tom who starts getting into more fights at school and ends up frustrating his mother, even as she tries. 

"Mel, I can't do anything. I don't know what you expect," Craig says as Tom, just turned ten sitting at a table, doing homework. He steals a glance over every now and then and Craig feels the guilty rush of relief when Tom quirks his lips into a tiny smile.

"Just. Talk to him. God knows he doesn't talk to me and all he talks about is when the two of you found that pilot a few months ago," she says, exasperation crackling down the line.

"I'll do what I can," Craig says finally as Mel sighs hard, both of them muttering a quick goodbye before Craig hangs up. He leans his arms onto the counter, looking over at Tom.

Tom peers at him from under his shaggy bangs, worry written on his face. 

"Is she mad?"

"A little frustrated, but no. Not mad," Craig says as Tom bites his lip. "You getting into fights doesn't help," Craig says, sitting at the table across from him, watching his cheeks color just slightly. 

"They're saying things about the Jaegers. I can't just do _nothing_ ," Tom says. Craig thinks about it, and really, for the past months, all he's done is think about it. There are still pieces of the Jaeger that wash up every now and then and yet all Craig can see is the stricken face of Raleigh Becket.

"Tom, you can't keep getting into fights over this," Craig says, a little uselessly as Tom eyes him. 

"You always said that I should stand up for what I believe in," Tom says reproachfully. Craig sighs, nodding to himself.

"I did. I did say that. But did I ever say stand up for what you believe in with your fists?"

"No," Tom says mulishly. Craig watches him for a long time, sitting in silence, save for the dishwasher running. 

"I wanna stay with you for a while," Tom says finally as Craig blinks at him. Surprise and hope floods through him as Tom looks down at his hands, picking at his cuticles. Craig nudges his foot against Tom's leg, making the boy look at him. 

"We can talk to your Mom about that. But you have to promise me to stay out of fights."

"What if they say something about the Jaegers?"

"Then they say something. That's on them, Tom. And I'm glad you believe in the program-"

"Do you?" Tom interrupts, looking at him intently. Craig thinks about it. He thinks about the Shatterdome and the strangled relief of seeing one of those massive Jaegers in the ocean, protecting the city. He remembers Brawler Yukon being deployed, protecting Vancouver as much as it could. He remembers the awe-inspiring, humbling feeling of knowing that there was something to turn the tide. He looks to Tom and smiles.

"With all my heart, kiddo."

===  
 _July, 2020_

There are more and more rumors about the Anti-Kaiju Coastal Wall being a better measure. There are meetings upon meetings in the town and each time, Craig finds himself and a small measure of others vehemently speaking against it.

It is, without a doubt, the worst idea Craig has ever heard of. They take a vote and Craig stalks out of the hall in disgust. He fights the urge to punch the wall behind him; it never ends well.

He wonders, idly, if the people inside the town hall are reacting out of fear or belief and he reminds himself that it's often those two things that go hand in hand most often.

"You wouldn't happen to have a light, would you?" comes a voice from nearby. She's familiar in an odd sort of way but Craig passes his old zippo to her all the same.

"Here," he says needlessly, taking it back as she inhales slowly. His fingers itch for one of his own, but he quit when Tom was born. Part of him thinks that now might be the perfect time to start again.

"I liked what you said in there," she says suddenly as he turns to look at her, "I just. We've all lost someone to those damned things and. I'm glad you said that," she says. She takes a steady drag off of the cigarette, exhaling roughly and it clicks as to who she is.

"You're Jazmine-"

"Just Jaz, if you don't mind," she says, canting her eyes to him. Craig nods slowly, offering his hand.

"It's nice to meet you Jaz. I'm Craig," he says as she shakes it. In the shadow, he can't make out the expression of her face but they stand in silence for a long moment before she sighs.

"Think they'll go along with it?"

"I think that they had that decided a week ago," Craig says as she shakes her head, reaching up to scratch at her head beneath her cap. He wishes he knew what to say to her or if he should even say anything at all. She stubs out the cigarette, putting the butt into the trashcan before she gives him a tight smile.

"It was nice meeting you, Craig," she says.

"You too," he responds, watching her step inside and walk back to the town hall. He spends a few more moments outside, silently thinking to the first hour of the meeting. Bolstering himself, he steps back inside, wondering if he can get more time on the floor.

===  
 _September, 2020_

The vote officially goes through. 

A coastal wall will be built around the Pan-Pacific cities for the good of the nation, as Lars Gottlieb says. The President, it seems, agrees with him.

Craig has never been more disgusted.

===

_November, 2020_

Six months pass. Six months and whenever Craig and Tom go into town, they can see the signs that support for the Jaeger program and the PPDC is waning. Restaurants that once had signs proudly proclaiming the presence of the Becket brothers are gone, leaving dust-free hollows in the windows.

The Anti-Kaiju wall is going up faster than reporters can even talk about it on the news and Craig watches politicians and that damnable Lars Gottlieb talking about cost and usefulness. Craig scoffs at that in the diner as Tom watches the TV solemnly.

"But Dad, they're too big for a wall," he says quietly as Craig sighs, looking down at his son. His son who's starting to go through a growth spurt and idly, Craig thinks he'll have to take him shopping for new shoes soon. 

"The politicians think it'll be effective."

"But it's dumb."

"Hey, just because you disagree doesn't mean it's dumb," Craig says as Tom mumbles an apology, rolling his eyes as the diner goes quiet when Lars Gottlieb himself appears on the screen.

"It is vital that we not put our trust in a program such as the Jaeger program. It has cost the people of the world countless money and has proven to be ineffective. There have been victories, yes, but at what cost?" he says in accented English to the bank of microphones. Craig feels Tom stiffen and there's a murmur building in the diner around them.

"Pilots in machines will not save the world, but the Anti-Kaiju wall is a valuable resource that will lower the cost to world countries already dealing with economic instability due to the cost ineffective Jaeger Program."

Craig throws a couple of bills down, helping Tom up as they walk out to his truck and once inside, Tom looks over at him with wide eyes. 

"Okay, yes, that wall is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of," Craig says as Tom starts laughing. Shaking his head and turning the truck on, Craig pulls out of the parking lot, ruffling Tom's hair. 

"Can we go to the beach tomorrow?"

"I have some work to do in the morning, but if you want to go later in the afternoon, we'll call Mom and all three of us can go, yeah?" he asks as Tom nods, turning the radio on. They ride in relative silence and Craig spares a desperate thanks to whoever's listening that he still has a home to go to. 

===

Jaz Becket is fierce and calm, two things Craig realizes that most people don't expect. She wears the same ragged knit hat that he first saw her in with an old sweater that's seen far better days. Craig wonders, idly, if she's got someone to stay with.

"Look, I know we don't support the wall but we can support the workers," she says firmly as one of the kids in the back scoffs.

"They're the ones choosing to work the stupid wall," he says as Jaz rolls her eyes, putting her hands on her hips.

"And just what kind of job do you have right now, Toby?" she says to silence. Craig hides a smile in his cup of what's supposed to be coffee; he recognizes day old grounds when he tastes them. But, he supposes, it's better than nothing.

"How are you suggesting we help them out?" Craig asks as a few of the women turn in their chairs to look at him. Jaz flashes a quick smile his way, friendly and pleased and Craig wonders how many people stop her, asking about her brothers. 

"Well, they'll be getting ration cards. Which is fine, of course, but not the best. Either way, I'm not sure how we'd even manage to provide food," she says as one of the women starts talking about a soup kitchen and Craig loses the thread of the conversation before long. 

He clears his throat, carefully, looking over at Jaz and the others, "What about clothing? They're going to need sweaters. Good ones. Most of them probably already have them but the ones who don't are going to play hell finding something to stay warm up there," he says as the room falls into excited conversation. He hears plans for a knitting group to be started.

Craig shares a quick smile with Jaz as he wanders to the back, starting a new pot of coffee as the meeting slowly comes to an end. Jaz leading everyone in a conversation that Craig barely tunes into. He wonders about a job on the Wall, stupid as it is. He remembers a construction job when he was a kid, helping to repair roads that seemed as if they constantly needed repair. He wonders if it's the same on the Wall.

Instead, he shakes his head; he gets some extra ration cards thanks to his job with the school. It's enough for him and for Tom when he visits. Still, the allure is there, even with his disagreement. 

"Oh, awesome," he hears over his shoulder as he turns to look at Jaz. She grins at him, "I knew I invited you here for a reason," she teases. Craig laughs, passing over a paper cup after filling one for himself.

"Well that is exceptionally gratifying, thank you," he says dryly, pulling a laugh out of Jaz. He takes a sip of the coffee, looking around to everyone in the room. Most of them are younger kids, probably one or two of his students, to be honest; there are a few people there of his age but they all look about as out of place as Craig feels.

"This is good."

"Not the coffee, I hope," she says as he snorts.

"No, not the coffee. But this. The meeting," he replies, looking over at her. She sighs and swipes her hat off of her head, revealing messy and frizzy blonde hair even as she shoves her hat into her coat pocket. She drums her fingers on the side of the cup before peering at him through shaggy bangs. 

"My brother's up there, you know," she says finally.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," she says scornfully, shaking her head. He watches Jaz take a long swallow of her coffee, probably searing every taste-bud she has in the process, "I used to joke that the only person more stubborn than Raleigh was Yancy," she says. It's the first time Craig has heard her mention her brothers beyond a passing idea and he abruptly wishes he knew her better to give her some measure of comfort.

"Did he," Craig hesitates, "did he not want to come home?"

"I think he felt like he couldn't. So he's gone to work the Wall. Because he's an idiot," she says, sighing hard. It ruffles her bangs and he finds himself patting her arm awkwardly.

"He'll come home, Jaz," Craig says, watching her meet his eyes, nodding slowly. 

"I guess we'll see, huh?" she says bitterly, tossing back the rest of her coffee before tossing the cup, "Thanks, Craig," she says softening her tone.

He watches her walk back to the group of people still talking quietly, her face changing completely as she starts talking to them.

"You're welcome," Craig murmurs, tossing his own cup of coffee and winding his scarf around his neck. It's early still and he thinks that he might still be able to get a beer with Mark if he's lucky.

=== 

Craig is never sure how Tom can enjoy running around on the beach in the middle of November. It's cold and both Mel and himself are wrapped up, watching the boy use the metal detector and dig at random intervals.

"How's he doing?" she asks quietly, red hair flying around her face from the wind as she adjusts her hat. Craig watches Tom for a few minutes, adjusting his jacket while he thinks.

"Better, I think. He still has nightmares about the Jaeger crushing us," Craig says as Mel looks over at him. Craig shakes his head, "Hell, sometimes so do I."

"Oh, Craig," Mel murmurs, looking over at him. They've stayed friends and he's grateful for it as she slides her arm through his. They stand like that for a minute before Craig watches Tom fling himself to the ground, digging frantically. 

"It's like he's a little crazy Long John Silver," she mutters as Craig lets out a snort of laughter. They laugh together, quiet and muffled, and Craig can't help but squeeze her hand as they watch. 

"Mom! Dad! Come here!" Tom calls out, practically screaming over the wind. It's not a long walk to the hole Tom has dug and when Craig sees what's in there, he freezes.

"Tom, don't touch 'em," he says as Tom looks up at him in exasperation. Dog tags, the glint of metal dulled by sand and having been in the ocean for God knows how long. Mel crouches down, side by side with Tom as Craig picks up the small trowel that Tom carries everywhere.

He uses it to push some of the sand away, coaxing them onto the trowel as the three of them look over it. Craig sees the name a split second before Tom does and when he gasps, Craig sees Mel's eyes close briefly. The black silencers have been eaten away by Kaiju blue but the letters, stamped into the metal, are as clear as day. 

Name, rank, and serial number for one Yancy Becket and Craig stares at the chain that's tangled into a viscious, rusted knot. 

"Mel, could you hand me my phone?" Craig asks quietly. There's a number in his contacts, saved from all those months ago when a Jaeger missing one of her pilots came to the shore and for a long moment, all Craig can see behind his eyelids is the Jaeger falling and how it would have been so easy to have crushed them. He doesn't know how aware Raleigh Becket was when he piloted that damaged machine to the shore, but he's grateful all the same that the Jaeger didn't crush he and Tom.

He feels Mel slip her arm through his and it's achingly familiar as the ringing cuts off suddenly.

"Yeah, this is Avery Sharpe."

Craig remembers her in a sudden flash. Her jumpsuit had been covered in grease even as she had suited up to help get Lady Danger clipped and ready for transport. Her dark hair had been messily tucked under a lopsided, badly tied bandanna and she had knelt and talked to Tom. He remembers her talking to Tom before handing him a card with her extension, just in case anything else washed up. That was just over nine months ago.

"Ms. Sharpe, this is Craig Lindell from back in February," he says as he hears the shuffling on the other end stop. 

"The guy who stayed with Becket, yeah. Vanessa Gottlieb told me about you guys," she says. Craig looks down at Tom as Mel tugs on his arm, leading them back to the car as the tide starts coming in. 

"My son and I, yes," Craig says, needing to feel the silence, carrying the trowel carefully before Tom hands him the bucket normally reserved for any scrap metal they find. He dumps the dog tags into the small bucket, handing the trowel back to Tom. 

"I assume this isn't a social call," Avery says as Craig can hear shouting in the background before it fades away totally, "What can I do you for, Mr. Lindell?"

"Well, ah. I wasn't sure who to call, but we found something. Well, my son did," Craig says, looking down at Tom. Tom watches him with wide, solemn eyes as Mel starts the car and turns the heat on, full blast, nudging Tom into the back seat. Craig clears his throat, "Ms. Sharpe-"

"Avery."

"Avery, my son found Yancy Becket's dog tags," Craig says finally. He hears a sharp inhale and he sighs quietly, waiting for a response. It takes a few minutes before Avery coughs away from the phone and when she speaks, her voice is as level as it was before. 

"Mr. Lindell - Craig - where are you now?"

"Still on the beach; why?"

"Could you give me a moment?" Avery asks as Craig murmurs his assent, looking down at the tags. He shakes the basket to look at the barely visible insignia and when he looks up, Tom's staring at him. Mel gives him a weak, sympathetic smile and Craig nearly misses when Avery comes back to the phone, a male's voice murmuring something in the background.

"Craig, how would you and your son like to see the Icebox?"

===

Vanessa Gottlieb is still as stunningly gorgeous as when they first met. She also, Craig thinks, is the most gracious person that he's ever met. She lets Tom take her hand, even when his star-struck eyes widen further at seeing the Jaegers waiting for the call. 

Vanessa leads them through the Shatterdome, introducing them to techs left and right before she takes them into the office of the Marshall. Tom goes abruptly silent when faced with Stacker Pentecost and Craig has a sense memory flash of seeing Coyote Tango on the news. He remembers Tamsin Sevier's shit-eating grin when some reporter had made disparaging comments about the USA working with Russia. It's one of the news clips he still shows his classes for discussion posts. 

Stacker Pentecost has always been the more quiet one of the pair but he holds a prescence like none other. Craig finds himself intimidated only until the former Ranger stands and kneels, putting himself onto Tom's level.

"I understand you're the young man who found the dog tags. And the same young man who sat with Ranger Becket until we could get to him," Pentecost says warmly. He's from London and his accent hasn't faded any from what Craig remembers. He smiles softly and it's then that Craig remembers he adopted the survivor of Tokyo as Tom's mouth drops open and closes a few times before he nods wordlessly. Craig can see how he wants to pull back and hide behind Vanessa who winks gently at Tom, nodding to Pentecost.

"Dad had the metal detector," Tom says finally as Pentecost focuses on Craig, standing with a gentle hand on Tom's shoulder. 

Craig shakes the hand of the man who saved Tokyo and feels, just for a moment, very small. It fades as soon as Pentecost clasps his other hand on Craig's, wordlessly thanking him.

"And a good thing too. I'm sure that Ranger Becket's family will be very appreciative," Pentecost says, gently accepting the envelope with the sterilized tags in them. Craig clears his throat, startled when all eyes turn to him.

"Thank you, Sir, for inviting us out to the Shatterdome. Tom's been wanting to see it for a while," Craig says as Tom's cheeks flare but Pentecost smiles at him and Craig feels nothing but gratitude.

"Well, a good thing too. Mrs. Gottlieb here is going to show you around on a personalized tour of the Shatterdome as our thanks for bringing a small piece of Ranger Becket home," Pentecost says and Craig understands why this man is a Marshall in the PPDC. 

The Shatterdome is all Tom talks about for the rest of November as it creeps into December. Craig hears the same three stories time and time again as he grades quizzes from the kids in his classes.

On the plus side, he's no longer having nightmares of a Jaeger crushing them on the beach.

Christmas break is coming up soon, Craig thinks, checking the calender as he answers emails from kids who are panicking from the end of term. He sighs over some of the more ridiculous excuses as he does so, fielding emails from the over-achievers. 

Mel brings Tom by for dinner on Sundays, a new little tradition started just after their trip to the Shatterdome, Mel sticking closer than she had even when they were first married. 

"You okay?" he asks her one night after Tom goes to bed. Mel and he are sitting on the couch, one on each end as she shakes her head. She leans back, propping her feet on the edge of the coffee table, looking over at him.

"I'm worried about him. All he talks about are the Jaegers and the pilots."

"It could be worse," Craig says as Mel snorts quietly.

"It could be. But he stopped talking to Mark's girl."

"Cece?" Craig asks, blinking in surprise as Mel nods. Her hair is falling out of the ponytail holder, red curls sticking out of the lazy ponytail they'd been in all night. She looks exhausted and sad, something he remembers from before they had separated. It makes him scoot over, taking her hand gently, chafing the skin there to bring some warmth back to it.

"Yeah. Mark said she's heartbroken."

"Want me to bug him?"

"Would you?" she asks, curling her fingers around his and for a moment it's a flashback to when Tom was a baby, sleeping in his crib with the sounds coming through the baby monitor. Craig nods, tugging on her hand in order to wrap his arm around her shoulder.

"Of course. Think it's been too much?" Craig asks, feeling Mel shift until her head's resting on his shoulder, both of them settled into former roles.

"Maybe. Not really. He's growing up."

"Unfortunately," Craig says dryly, making Mel laugh. The silence is comfortable for a moment, leaned together like that. Outside, the wind picks up and Craig wonders if there's a storm coming in. He sighs softly, pressing his lips to Mel's hair before he speaks.

"You realize it's probably like his obsession with Superman, right?" Craig says as Mel picks her head up, looking at him with a cocked eyebrow. Amusement sparkles in her eyes as Craig shrugs wordlessly.

"At least then he just wanted to dress up like Superman!" she says, laughing quietly as she settles back down against him, "I hear so much about Raleigh Becket, I almost think he's part of the family."

Craig snorts, leaning his head back against the couch, slouching down to get comfortable. 

"I tell you about those meetings in town? Their sister runs it."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. Her name's Jaz. Been debating about introducing Tom to her," he says as Mel hums. 

"Might not be a bad idea. I don't think he needs a reality check but that's an awful lot of hero worship," she says, leaning her head back against the couch. Craig nods, tilting his head to rest against hers lightly. He reaches for her hand again, squeezing it gently.

"He's gonna be okay, Mel."

"Yeah," she says softly, squeezing his hand in return, "I think he will be." 

===

__  
Epilogue  
2025 

"Dad," Tom says, bounding in and shedding his over-coat. He's taller than Craig and still growing at fifteen; Craig can barely keep up with feeding him but Mel assures him that's normal. Tom pushes his hair back from his face and looks at him, eyes bright, "there's a car out front from the PPDC."

Craig looks up, meeting Mel's eyes as they check the driveway from the living room window. They'd been remarried for only a year but Craig feels like no time actually passed. He remembers his last conversation with Vanessa, just a month ago as the Breach was closed. He remembers her telling him that they might have visitors and Craig tosses an arm around Tom's shoulders, regretting the fact that he has to stretch so much.

"Yeah, we're gonna have some guests," he says, striding outside to shake Jaz's hand. They've become friends in the last five years, raising hell at any and all town meetings and organizing ways to help take care of the less fortunate. Jaz ruffles Tom's hair and kisses Mel's cheek.

"Told you I'd visit, little duck," she says, shoving at Tom. He scowls as she pokes at his cheeks. 

"Yeah, but you didn't say how annoying you'd be when you did," Tom says, shoving at her as Craig snorts. He hears the car door open and even though he met the late Stacker Pentecost and numerous others, Craig finds his own mouth is the one to drop open in awe at the sight of Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori stepping out onto the gravel.

"She can't help it, man; it's, like, her default state," Raleigh calls out, grinning as Jaz flips him off, making Mel snort in laughter.

"Tom's used to that, though," Mel says, shaking their hands as Raleigh beams. 

Tom stares at them both, speechless for the first time since he met a PPDC Marshall and Craig can't help but laugh, reaching out.

"It's an honor to meet you both," Craig says warmly. Mori shakes his hand and starts talking to Mel and Jaz, leaving Tom to move closer as Raleigh faces Craig.

"No, seriously, it's amazing," Tom says suddenly, eyes wide as Raleigh ducks his head. Craig remembers watching live feeds as they deployed Lady Danger over the Hong Kong harbor, knowing that one of Alaska's own was tucked away again. When Raleigh clears his throat, Craig finds himself unable to speak for the emotion shining on his face.

"Vanessa tells me that you two sat with me until help came," he says softly. Tom nods, coughing quietly.

"I called for help and came back. Dad kept you warm," Tom says as Raleigh smiles over at Craig.

"I remember. Vanessa and Jaz tell me you guys found Yancy's dog tags and. I had to come thank you. I took him with me to the Breach, you know," Raleigh says as he looks over to Mako, love and adoration shining from his face as Craig smiles, wiping away a few tears. It's a strange moment, to be faced with such regard from someone that he's spent the last five years talking about in a nebulous way.

"We both did. We figured if anyone deserved to see it closed, it was Yancy," Mako interjects, smiling at them both. Craig lets Raleigh pull him and Tom into a hug easily, holding on as tightly as Raleigh does.

"You're family now, so go ahead and make yourselves at home," Mel says, tucking her hand into Craig's as they walk up the drive, the ocean crashing onto the rocks below like so many years ago.

**Author's Note:**

> There were supposed to be a few more scenes here and there with Jaz Beckett and Craig, as well as other scenes with characters from the movie but it didn't ever come together.
> 
> The plan was that as Tom got older, he got more and more into Jaeger tech and wanted to be one as soon as he could. I didn't have much else planned so this last scene ended up being a little bare boned, but I'm still really proud and in love with this fic.


End file.
